Archive for the ‘casino’ Category

Nine casino managers, drawn from three of the tribe’s four gaming facilities, successfully completed the National Indian Gaming Association approved course which is conducted by the staff of Pawnee Nation College. Previously, ten other managers graduated from the first ever program on Dec. 8.

Tom Cunningham, the Oklahoma City-based regional director of the National Indian Gaming Association, was a guest speaker at the ceremony. He spoke of the tremendous job opportunities for qualified casino managers, with not only thousands of gaming jobs in Oklahoma, but tens of thousands of positions nationwide. “Protect your integrity and protect the integrity of your facility,” charged Cunningham to the class.

Pawnee Nation College instructor Andrew Gray stressed that the managers had earned not a certificate, but rather a certification in Indian Gaming Regulatory Management. Tribal Chairman John R. Shotton congratulated the managers and urged them to continue their education. “Our goal is to develop tribal members to be qualified to fill the majority of gaming management positions,” Shotton said. He added that continued education holds the keys to the future of the tribe. Shotton holds two degrees from the University of Oklahoma, a bachelor’s in Business Administration and a master’s in Public Administration.

Shotton listed many of the benefits to the Otoe-Missouria Tribe from income generated by the tribe’s successful gaming and other tribal business operations including increased social service programs, more jobs, the ability to provide college scholarship assistance and increased per capita to tribal members. “It’s so exciting to see where tribal members stick together, grow together, develop relationships,” said course graduate Laura Rosas.

“This particular training will be extremely beneficial and we hope to continue with more training of this type for our casino employees,” said Oliver LittleCook, who helped to coordinate the program and is the Employee Relations Manager/Trainer. Successfully completing the course and earning certification are Angela Barnett, Kim Burgess, Lawanda Canaday, Charisse Cline, Scott Miller, Bradley Moore Sr., Laura Rosas, Naomi Roubedeaux and Stephanie Ruff.

The Otoe-Missouria Tribe and Pawnee Nation College recently partnered to bring the “Tribal Gaming Regulatory Initiative” program to management employees of the tribe’s 7 Clans Paradise Casino. The program is an eight-week comprehensive course designed to teach participants the regulatory issues involved in a casino operation, from federal, tribal and tribal-state compacts.

Ten casino managers successfully completed the course which is approved by the National Indian Gaming Association and conducted by the staff of Pawnee Nation College. Primary instructor for the course was Andrew Gray. At graduation ceremonies held December 3 at the Otoe-Missouria Tribal Agency, Gray stressed that the managers had earned not a certificate, but rather a certification in Indian Gaming Regulatory Management.

Tribal Chairman John R. Shotton congratulated the managers and urged them to continue their education, for it holds the keys to the future of the tribe. Shotton holds two degrees from the University of Oklahoma, a bachelor’s in Business Administration and a master’s in Public Administration. “This particular training will be extremely beneficial and we hope to continue with more training of this type for our casino employees,” said Oliver Littlecook, who helped to coordinate the program and is the Employee Relations Manager/Trainer.

“It’s hard for a lot people to understand that we have absolutely no control over what happens on tribal land [in regards to Mixed Martial Arts],” said Joe Miller, executive director of the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission. “They can do what they want to. Now if it was boxing it would be a different story.”

This is how Miller became aware of Shine Fights, a Florida-based MMA promotional company which, after failing to receive licenses in Virginia and Oklahoma, partnered last Friday with the Otoe-Missouria Tribe for an eight-man, one-night tournament at the First Council Casino in Newkirk, Oklahoma…

The Otoe-Missouria Tribe is one of 28 federally recognized tribal lands in Oklahoma. Of those 28, only three have formed commissions to regulate combat sports, specifically boxing, as required by federal legislation. Others signed compacts with the state to regulate events when they hold boxing cards. And some, like Otoe-Missouria, have no athletic commission regulation whatsoever. The Association of Boxing Commissions Tribal Advisory Committee reached out to Otoe-Missouria, but was powerless to do anything other than offer its input — which needs to change, said the organization’s president, Tim Lueckenhoff.

Work continued Wednesday on repairs to 7 Clans Paradise Casino, which was damaged Monday by fierce winds spawned by one of the numerous tornadoes that hit the state. The casino, which employs 250 people, was evacuated Monday after the storm hit and was closed until a portion of it reopened at mid-day Wednesday. Heather Sarles, public information officer for the Otoe-Missouria Tribe that owns the casino, said the 40,000-square-feet facility sustained wind damage to the front and back of the building. “Everyone who was in the casino and the village (the tribal housing complex) was evacuated safely and no one was injured,” Sarles said Wednesday.

The number of accidents along U.S. 77 in the Chilocco area tripled in the last four years. Two large Indian casinos and a travel plaza now draw hundreds of cars a day to an otherwise barren stretch of highway. Vehicles turn in and out of the casinos from a rural highway on which motorists can go 65 mph. There are no turn lanes, no acceleration lanes and no stoplights or access roads to help motorists navigate the intersections… In a November 6 phone interview, ODOT traffic engineer Bill Walton said the state is discussing possible turn lanes into the First Council Casino with Otoe-Missouria tribal leaders. The Otoe-Missouria tribe owns First Council Casino and the Seven Clans Travel Mart just north of it.

In the spring of 1804, the Corp of Discovery, sponsored by President Thomas Jefferson, set sail to explore the lands of the Louisiana Purchase, and to meet the Indians. After much anticipation, as the expedition was setting up camp, they were approached by their first tribe and arranged to meet with their chiefs on August 3, 1804.

First Council Casino dedicated the monument, “First Council” on July 10 that commemorates and interprets the first official meeting between Captains Lewis and Clark and chiefs of the Otoe and Missouria Indian Nations.

In June 2002, the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Committee of Fort Calhoun, Nebraska, commissioned a sculptor, Oreland Joe, to create life-sized sculptures including Lewis and Clark, an Otoe chief and a Missouria chief, a French interpreter and Lewis’ dog. These statues are within feet of where the original council occurred, a place Lewis and Clark named Council Bluffs in present-day Nebraska. At the request of the Otoe-Missouria tribe, Oreland Joe has created a replica of the monument to grace the entrance of First Council Casino located in Newkirk. The six figures are cast in bronze and are arranged in a setting much like you would have expected to see if you attended the historic meeting more than 200 years ago.

Lester Harragarra, a member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe and a major component in having the monument erected at First Council, said, “It is an honor to have Oreland Joe recreate this historic moment in our tribe’s history. This gives us an opportunity to share a part of our culture, which we strive to incorporate in our everyday lives, not only with our own tribal members, but with everyone that visits First Council.”

Oreland Joe, who attended the dedication, is world-renowned for his work in stone and bronze sculptures. He is a native of New Mexico and is of Dine’ (Navajo) and Ute decent. Currently, Kirtland, N.M., provides home to his family and his studio. The First Council Casino is located at 12875 N. Highway 77.

The Otoe-Missouria Tribe’s First Council Casino, north of Newkirk, recently garnered an Award of Excellence for its commercial construction contractor in the 2008 Excellence in Construction Awards Program, an annual statewide event of Associated Builders and Contractors of Oklahoma.

Manhattan Construction Company received top honors in the “Pre-Engineered Building Over $10 Million” category for the 54,000 sq. ft. facility that offers Las Vegas style gaming on the plains of Oklahoma. In addition to the gaming area, the facility accommodates a restaurant, players club, gift shop and management offices for the tribe’s operations. The Oklahoma EIC program is designed to recognize the “Best of the Best” in commercial and industrial construction by ABC of Oklahoma members.

In this year’s competition, 34 commercial construction projects received awards in 44 individual categories at ceremonies held recently at Tulsa’s Greenwood Cultural Center. According to ABC chapter president and CEO, Carl Williams, this year’s competition included historical renovation, medical, educational, commercial office, performing arts, and financial industry and infrastructure projects. A panel of judges from another ABC chapter selected the category winners, Recipients of Oklahoma EIC awards are eligible to compete at the national level against category winners from the organizations other chapters.

First Council Casino, a $60 million dollar project, is scheduled to open to the public at 5 p.m. Feb. 29. The new venture is a significant step forward in quality gaming, and the second casino owned and operated in the state by the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Oklahoma.

Located at 12875 North Highway 77 just outside of Newkirk, Okla., and two miles south of Arkansas City, the casino will boast 900 electronic gaming machines, a dedicated poker room with eight tables and partial glass walls, and eight blackjack tables. First Council Casino will also offer a four-star buffet restaurant, full bar and casual concession area. Future plans call for a resort-style hotel, spa and more.

A new casino near the Kansas-Oklahoma border is scheduled to open Feb. 1 near the travel plaza and casino operated by the Otoe-Missouria tribe.

The tribe plans to continue operating the Lil’ Bit of Paradise Casino connected to the travel plaza as well as the new First Council Casino directly west of the travel plaza, according to a tribal spokeswoman. It will be the fourth casino operated by the Otoe-Missouri tribe and the seventh casino along the 41-mile stretch of highway between the Kansas border and the Cimarron Turnpike.

Paradise Casino has announced the grand opening of their new casino addition will take place on Friday, and Saturday. The new, significantly enlarged addition replaces a portion of the facility that was severely damaged in a winter storm last January and follows the recently held ribbon cutting and blessing ceremonies.

“We have worked diligently the past 8 months to design and construct a new entertainment facility unlike any other in North Central Oklahoma,” said Dallas Teerlink, Paradise Casino General Manager.